Roblox caused a meltdown in our house. Here’s why we still allow it.
Issue #42
Let me tell you a little story about a big meltdown.
It all started when my daughter started playing with someone new in Roblox. This new contact was interested in one my daughters beloved digital pets, and somehow, they managed to convince her to make a trade. My daughter agreed, and realized too late that the deal was lopsided. She’d been scammed. She was out a pet with nothing to show for it except a deep well of outrage and despair.
It was a good learning moment for both me and my daughter. She learned a valuable lesson about trusting people on the internet, and I was reminded of the important role I play in overseeing her digital interactions. A platform like Roblox is only ever as safe as I make it, and it’s up to me to put guardrails in place to protect her. So, will I still let my daughter enjoy Roblox, even after someone on the platform reduced her to tears?
Definitely. Let me tell you why.
When she first wanted to play Roblox, I did a bit of digging. I looked into the platform and asked her to show me how she’d be using it. What I discovered is that it isn’t so much a game as it is a virtual destination that happens to contain games. Players can custom design their blocky avatars, adopt pets and buy outfits and accessories. Of course, all that costs Robux, and Robux cost real dollars. (One reason my daughter was so devastated about her pet trade is that she paid good Robux for it!)
In Roblox, you can play games designed by other users, and you can even create and share your own games. And there’s something for everyone: sports games, mystery games, shooter games... you name it. Roblox is interesting, because it’s a digital reflection of the real world. Whatever’s trending IRL tends to show up in the platform. It gives players the chance to get creative, collaborate with one another and practice building digital products in a fun environment.
What I also learned is that kids are often just... hanging out in Roblox. They’re not always actively playing games. Rather, it’s a digital social space for them—something that was especially important during COVID lockdowns.
When my daughter was a bit younger, we closely monitored her activity in Roblox. We regularly checked her contact list and verified that each person was someone we knew and trusted. As she got older and savvier, we went longer between check-ins and gave her a bit more independence. When she got scammed out of a pet and melted down, we renewed our vigilance accordingly. Live and learn.
Roblox is a leader when it comes to trust and safety. As a platform, it is truly invested in creating as safe an environment as possible. But just like any other digital platform, it’s a mirror of the real world—and the real world can be dangerous. No matter how many safeguards a platform includes, there will always be people who get around them and do bad things. It’s not enough for parents toggle on a few parental controls and call it a day. We need to be actively engaged. We need to check in often. And we need to help our kids learn how to navigate the internet.
Roblox can be an absolutely awesome thing for kids. It can connect them to friends, offer them a creative outlet and encourage problem-solving and collaboration. It can also teach them hard lessons about trust and critical thinking. My job as a parent is to help my daughter enjoy the best of Roblox without experiencing the worst of it.
A deeper dive
Here are a few helpful resources in case you want to really dig into today's topic:
Roblox is always evolving. It’s becoming less of a gaming platform and more of a digital space for hanging out—and even attending concerts. Case-in-point? Last week, Roblox hosted a virtual concert featuring DJ David Guetta.
Early on in the pandemic, lots of kids were turning to Roblox for a social outlet. While not every parent was thrilled with how much time their children were spending on the platform, this mom saw a silver lining when her daughter was able to grow meaningful friendships through the platform.
TL;DR
Too long; didn't read. It shouldn't be a full-time job to keep up on industry news, so here is a mercifully quick summary of some other notable developments:
Recently, a 22-month-old child in New Jersey managed to order nearly $2,000 worth of furniture from Walmart when he was playing with his mom’s iPhone. Maybe you’ve already seen the picture of an adorable toddler sitting on top of a pile of boxes. The parents, luckily, were able to return all the furniture, so all’s well that ends well. But it just goes to show how absolutely seamless user experience is these days. Buying things online is so easy that a baby can do it. Designers are always trying to create frictionless experiences—but maybe a little friction isn’t always a bad thing?
It all started when Neil Young posted a public ultimatum for Spotify: de-platform Joe Rogan or remove my music. Long story short, Young ended up pulling his entire catalog off the platform and many other musicians and content creators followed suit shortly after. The drama also reminds us that Spotify isn’t just a music streaming platform. It also hosts tons of podcasts and audio books, and you might not want to expose your kids to everything they have on offer. (Don’t worry, I have a solution for parents right below!)
And lastly
Here are a few more pieces of original writing from me and my team—just in case you're keen for more:
So you want to share music with your kids, but you don’t necessary want them listening to explicit lyrics or mature podcast content. There may be an easy solution: My team put together a guide to Spotify Kids—the junior version of the platform that boasts curated, kid-friendly content.
If you’re looking for a quick breakdown of the pros and cons of Roblox, check out this handy guide here. You’ll find info about how the platform works, what it costs and what the safety risks are.
Okay, that's it from me until next time. If you enjoyed this newsletter, and know of another parent who would as well, please feel free to forward it along.